Question
In 2009 I was a victim in a car accident and had problems that at were first diagnosed as muscle spasms the problems persisted for months and my regular doctor ordered an MRI and discovered my L4 and l5 discs are bulged/herniated as well as a diagnosis of stenosis. I was then referred to a pain specialist where i had 3 epidural injections l4 l5 as well as a non diagnostic nerve block. My symptoms had a temporary decrease in severity but after a while I felt back at step one and visited my family's doctor for advice and to question about surgery. He recommended physical therapy which I underwent for 3 months I also used a tens unit for a month and during this whole time i was taking 10/325 hydrocodone 1 every 6 hours Which seemed to dull the pain just a little I was on that regimen for a year and a half throughout this whole process but i never could say it relieved my symptoms mildly and would have no effectiveness before my next dose. I tried physical therapy a second time and at this point I began to feel frustrated and depressed with no progress on my condition. During the times I wasnt attending PT I still contented to do their stretches every morning and night. I recently lost insurance so the treatment is expensive out of pocket. My symptoms consist of low mobility severe low back pain, pain in my butt, and frequently in my legs and sometimes further than my knees. Basically I'm confused on where to go from here and how I can get a better medication regimen to manage the pain enough to where I can continue my life regularly. I had to give up snowboarding,mma, and physical activities are difficult with my girlfriend and friends. Before my injury i could dunk a basket ball now I can't even jump 3 inches to catch a frisbee without being called an old man jokingly. Mornings are extremely difficult where I remain bed ridden for sometimes an hour to stretch and beable to get out of bed and alot of times get as little as 3-4 hours of sleep. It's difficult being 22 years old with this problem when so much of my life is changed or taken away because of it. Where do I go from here? Ive asked so much about surgery idk if its too risky but im willing if theres a chance to get my life back I do alot of computer repair for clients and am developing and app with a small team and it interferes with that too unfortunately. Do I need a more suitable medication regimen? Should i expect my pain medication to manage my pain enough to partake in normal activities without too much struggle? Also any advice on being 22 years old with a gap in insurance? I will be insured in 2 months. I just am lost at what to do and what the best solution to all of these problems are.

Answer

Hanna Somatic Educatio Hi, Jim.

First thing:  while disc problems and stenosis might seem to outrank muscular contractions as causes of the pain, it's actually the reverse:  muscular contractions cause disc problems and stenosis is often not the cause of the pain, since as muscular contractions abate, so often does the pain, and stenosis doesn't somehow "correct itself". Doctors typically miss the muscular role or abandon it as soon as an MRI shows the effects of tight spinal muscles on discs, thinking that's what's most important, when disc problems are secondary.

For more on this topic, please see my write-up:

http://somatics.com/chronic_back_pain.htm
and the related article linked to that one.

and (related to your car accident)

http://somatics.com/recovery_from_injury.htm

Since you have tried stretching, it's useful for you to read my piece on stretching, since it offers new information that makes a difference.  Please read it all, as it's an eye-opener.

http://somatics.com/stretch.htm

Neither surgery nor medications are an adequate answer to your pain.  What is an adequate answer is clinical somatic education (a new discipline in the field of health care), as described in the articles.

If you were my client, I would expect substantial and lasting relief in a few sessions and complete relief and restoration of your capacity for activity after a series of fewer than ten sessions.

Ask, and I will provide guidance for self-relief of pain.

regard,
Lawrence Gold